Apparatus for forming fabric structures



Sept. 26, 1939. A. MARTIN APPARATUS FOR FORMING FABRIC STRUCTURES FiledApril 7, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l mm 1 mm mm mm h mu. Ms

INVEN 711R.

Sept. 26, 1939. A. MARTIN APPARATUS FOR FORMING FABRIC STRUCTURES FiledApril '7, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTUR. WM

Sept. 26, 1939. A. MARTIN 2,174,092

APPARATUS FOR FORMING FABRIC STRUCTURES Filed April 7, 1938 3Sheets-Sheet 3 fig. 3. 18

' Patented Sept. 26, 1939 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR FORMING FABRICSTRUCTURES Arehworth Martin, Pittsburgh, Pa.

Application April "I, 1938. Serial No. 200,804

My invention relates to apparatus for making plaster-ground fabricstructures which comprise plaster-reinforcing mesh, to the rear side ofwhich is secured a backing sheet or form sheet,

5 the fabric structure being placed upon studding or other frameworkwith the mesh outwardly and plaster or cement then applied against thesame in the forming of walls, floors, ceilings, etc.

For convenience of handling and installation,

it has been common practice to assemble the backing sheet and thereinforcement mesh in unitary relation at the factory. The methodsheretofore employed in assembling the backing sheet and the mesh havebeen somewhat expen- 15 sive, owing to the fact that such operation hasusually been performed either bythe manual insertion of wire clips atvarious spaced points, to tie the backing sheet to the mesh, or byintermittently-operable mechanical means. In the latter case, thebacking sheet and the mesh are periodically advanced past a given point,and at each pause portions. of the sheet are deflected through the meshand lacing wires or the like are threaded through the said portions,each wire lying partly in front of the wire mesh and partly behind thepaper. Not only are such operations tedious and expensive, but in manyinstances holes of objectionable size are made in the backing sheetduring insertion of the sheet-retaining or tie elen ments.

One object of my invention is to provide an apparatus wherebyreinforcement mesh and backing sheets of any length can be advancedconti nuously ,and. the sheet automatically attached to the mesh duringsaid advancing movement.

Another object of my invention is to provide means for forming tangedtie strips or staple elements from a continuous strip of material, intimed relation to traveling movement of a mesh and backing sheet, andfor applying said elements to the sheet and the mesh to hold theseelements in assembled relation.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved means forattaching backing sheets to 45 reinforcement mesh, without tearing orcutting of the sheets to an objectionable degree.

As shown in the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of theapparatus partly in section and partly inelevation; Fig. 2 is a plan 50view thereof partly in section; Fig. 3 is a view taken on the lineIII-HI of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of theapparatus of Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a view taken on the line V--V of Fig.4. Q

a The apparatus is shown as employed for attaching a paper backing sheet3 to a metallic mesh 1. The mesh 1 comprises longitudinallyextendingstrand wires 3. and cross bars 9 welded thereto, the backing sheet andthe mesh being connected in assembled relation bytie bars l0, 5 as theypass through the machine. The tie bars M are disposed against the loweror exposed face of .the backing sheet 6 and have tangs pushed" throughthe sheet and clenched or bent around the strand wires 3. 10 I Theapparatus is provided with a framework |2 in which is journalled a driveshaft l3 which may be driven by a motor or from anysuitable source ofpower. The shaft l3, through reduction gearing it, drives a shaft l5. Atone end the shaft |5 carries a sprocket wheel |3 which, through asprocket chain l1, drives a sprocket wheel l8 that is mounted on a shaftHi, the shaft 13 being suitably journalled in the framework II.

The shaft I9 carries a series of sprockets 2| for driving chains 22. Thechains 22 pass around sprockets 23. The sprocket chains 22 in effectform a conveyor for pulling the mesh 8 through the machine, the dogs 24on certain of the chain links making engagement with the cross bars 3 25of the mesh. .The mesh in entering the machine is drawn across a guideplate 25 which affords vertical support for the mesh. A similarsupporting plate 26 is provided at the exit side of the apparatus forsupporting the fabric against sagging. The backing sheet 6 is drawn froma roll 21 past tensioning rollers 28 and across a guide roller 23.Advancing pull to the backing sheet is transmitted from the mesh throughthe tie bars l0.

The backing sheet and the mesh are continuously advanced past a stationA where the tie bars H) are applied to connect the sheet and the mesh.Means for applying the tie bars to the rear side of the sheet andbending over the tangs thereof, comprises a crosshead or U-shaped barmember 3| which extends transversely of the mesh and has legs 32 and 33which serve as hammers or plungers for driving the tie bars intoconnected relationship with the sheet and the mesh. The legs 32 and 33are moved vertically in guideways 34, the crosshead 3| being moved alongslideways 35 of the guides-34. The member 3| carries rollers 33 thatmove along guide surfaces 31 of the slideways 35 to prevent binding ofthe legs 32 and 33 in the guideways. The member 3| is supported at itsends upon springs 38 that are in turn supported upon brackets 33 carriedby the framework,' these springs when compressed of the fabric.

and then released serving as power springs to drive the hammer members32 and 33.

The shaft I! also carries a sprocket wheel 43 that has drivingconnection through a chain 4| with a sprocket 42 on a shaft 43. Theshaft 43 has bevel gear connection at 44 with ashaft 45 that carries acam 43. There is a similar bevel gear connection at 41 (Pig. 3) betweenthe shaft 43 and a shaft 43 that carries a cam 43.

The legs 32 and 33 are slotted at 33 for the reception of the shafts 45and 43 and to permit of vertical reciprocation of the hammers. The camsare disposed between the legs 32 and 33 and operate upon the bottom wallof the member 3| to depress it against the springs 33 for the purpose ofstoring power and rendering the springs effective to drive the hammersupwardly with great force. The bottom wall of the member 3| is cut outat 52 and 33, so that the bar can move upward when the high lobeportions 54 of the cams move out of engagement with the member 3|.

As shown in Fig. 3, the cams have depressed the hammer member 3| to itsfullest extent and are in position to release said member. Upon releaseof the member, the springs 33 will snap the hammer upwardly with greatforce and rapidity, causing the plungers 32 and 33 to shear ofl tiestrips and push their tangs ll through the backing sheet 3. As the tangsare pushed through the backing sheet they encounter an anvil or bendingdie 53 which has recesses 51 therein that are elongated in the directionof travel The recesses are so formed as to cause the tangs II to be bentaround the strand wires 3, in the manner shown in Fig.5. The member 3|is provided with compressible members 58 such as rubber pads, thatengage adjustable stops 59, for limiting upward movement of the hammers32-33, and causing the hammers to rebound slightly, thereby to relievethe tie bars from the clenching pressure. It will be apparent that thehammers remain in engagement with the tie bars only for a very smallfraction of a second, during the clenching operation, and

continuous movement of the paper and the fabric is therefore possible.

The cam lobes are so shaped that immediately upon the completion of anupward movement by the hammers, the cams begin to retract the crosshead3|, such movement being sufficiently fast to get the hammers 32 and 33out of the path of the advancing V-bars 9'. This rapid retractivemovement of the crosshead is continued until the hammers 32-33 reach anintermediate lower position below the line of feed of the tie strips.The cam lobes have dwell portions of sufllcient length that the hammersare caused to remain in their intermediate position, out ofthe line offeed of the tie strips, a suflicient time to permit of feedingadditional strips into stapling position.

At the stapling station A, the backing sheet 6 is depressed between thecross bars 3 and against the strand wires, so as to avoid tearing of thepaper through upward movement of the hammers. This tightening iseffected by rollers 63 and "which are carried by arms 62 and 33,respectively. The arms 32 and 33 are mounted on rock shafts 34 thatextend transversely of the machine and are yieldably urged in adirection to press the rollers against the paper by springs 35 connectedto crank-like extensions 63 of the shafts 34 and to the framework of themachine. As the mesh and the paper are advanced, the

paper is snugly held against the rear side of the mesh by the rollers 33and 3|, the arms for said rollers yielding, as above explained, topermit passage of the V-bars.

Idle rollers 61 are provided on the anvil block to hold the mesh strandsagainst being pushed up into the anvil grooves 31 by pressure of therollers 60 and 3|.

While separately-formed tie strips may be fed into-position to be drivenby the hammers, I find it practical and economical to form tanged tiestrips in a continuous sheet of metal, and to have the hammers shear offeach tie strip from its associated sheet or have the hammers completethe severance of the tie strips from the sheets.

The tanged tie strips for the hammer 32 are formed in a metal sheet 13which is drawn from a supply roll and is intermittently advanced intimed relation to movement of the hammers in a manner to be hereinafterexplained. The sheet 10 is drawn past a die II, where it is cut or slitand bent to form the-tangs Punches 12 are mounted in a supporting block13, there being a punch 12 provided for each tang which is to be formedin the sheet 10 and the punches being spaced laterally oi. the machinein accordance with the spacing of the strand wires 3. It is notnecessary, however, to provide a tang for each strand wire. Each punchis actuated by a cam 14, all of which cams are mounted on a shaft 13.The shaft I5 carries a gear 13 which meshes with a gear wheel 11 that ismounted on a shaft 13. Gear wheel 11 also meshes with a gear wheel 19 ona shaft 80, that has bevel gear connection at 8| with the shaft 45, theshaft 43 thus serving to drive the cam shaft 15 and the shaft 13. 'fhetang-forming operation by the punches I2 is effected during pauses inadvancing movements of the tie strips.

In order to facilitate the shearing of the tang strips Hi from the sheetIII by the hammer 32, I provide means for forming lines of weakness anddivision between the tie strips. This means comprises a bar 83 thatextends transversely of the machine and is pushed toward the strip bycams 84 that are mounted on the shaft 13. The outer face of this bar hascutting edges which may entirely cut through the strip for the majorportion of its width, leaving only small connecting portions to besheared by the hammer, or it can simply make part depth cuts throughoutthe width of the sheet.

The tang strips for the hammer 33 are formed 7 in the same manner as thestrips for the hammer 32, in that the sheet 83 is fed-past a die 31 andpunches 88, and past an indenting mechanism 89. These elements areactuated in the same manner as are the punches I2 and the indenting bar33.

Step-by-step advance movement of each of the sheets 10 and 86 iseffected by pawl and ratchet mechanism. In each instance this mechanismcomprises a ratchet wheel 33 that is secured to a shaft 9| which carriesaxially-spaced rubberfaced feed rollers 32, the spaces between therollers permitting passage of the tangs II. The faces of the rollersbear against the tang sheet which is supported from beneath by idlerrollers 33. Rotation of the rollers 32 will, of course, feed the sheets13 and 33 toward the hammers 32 and 33 respectively, the sheetsadvancing between suitable guides and through feed slots I32, theforemost strips I3 being projected into the path of movement of thehammers.

Each shaft 9| is intermittently rotated by a pawl 94 that is pivotallymounted on one arm of a rocker lever 95 which is loosely supportedon.the shaft 9|. One end of a pull rod 99 is connected to the lever 95and its other end is connected to an arm 91 that is secured to a stubshaft 99.

The shaft 99 carries an arm 99 that at its inner end is provided with aroller that is disposed in the path of movement of the hammer member II.An operating spring illl is connected to the pawl arm 95 and to astationary bracket on the frame.

During the later stage of downward or retractive movement of the hammermember, the arms 99 are depressed and the pawls 94 are moved idlyrelative to the ratchet wheels against the tension of the springs i0l.Upon upward movement of the hammers 32 and 33, the foremost tang stripsiii are sheared off, as above explained. Then the hammers are retractedrapidly to their intermediate position and pause therein for a briefperiod. During this initial downward travel of the hammers, as soon asthey pass the ends of the tang strips, the tension of the springs lillcauses the tang sheets to be advanced through the feed slots I02, thusprojecting the forward tang strips into position to be sheared oif uponthe next cycle of movement of the hammers. Feeding movement of thesheets is automatically arrested when the ends of the sheets engage thewalls of the guideways 94 opposite the feed slots I92. After the pause,downward movement of hammer member 3|, after it has cleared the slots,is continued by the cams 46-49, whereupon the arms 99 are depressed, asabove described. Thus the springs lill operate and advance the tangsheets before the hammer member 3i again engages the rocker arms 99.

When the hammers begin their driving movement, the arms 99 are releasedand the tension of the springs ml is imposed on the ratchet wheels 90,but no feeding takes place since the ends of the sheets 10 and 86 bearagainst the.

walls of the guideways 34; while after the foremost strips have beensheared off, the ends of the sheets bear against the interposed side of.the hammers.

While I have shown the placing of two tie strips between each of theadjacent V-bars 9, it will be understood that in some instances, andparticularly in cases where the V-bars are closer together, a single tiestrip will be sufllcient. Also it will be understood that the tie stripscan be applied to flat mesh which has cross wires instead of the crossbars 9.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the metallic mesh and thebacking sheet are continuously advanced by the conveyor chains 22 pasta. zone at which the mesh and the sheet are connected in assembledrelation by pronged tie bars or strips. At the attaching zone, thebacking sheet is snugly held against the rear side of the mesh bypresser members 60 and SI that yield as cross bars or other projectionson the mesh pass thereover. The pronged tie bars are driven against therear exposed side of the backing sheet, and their prongs pushed throughthe sheet and against bending dies at the opposite open side of themesh, whereby the prongs are brought into clenching engagement with themesh.

The tie bars are driven by a reciprocating driving member which isreciprocated in timed relation to the rate 0f.travel of the mesh and thebacking sheet, so that with the passage of each unit of length of themesh and the sheet past the attaching zone, the driving member completesa cycle of movement. During each cycle, the driving member is actuatedby power springs with such forc and rapidity that the tanged tie barsare brought into clenching engagement with the mesh very quickly and theclenching pressure is immediately removed from the tie bars throughcontrolled rebound of the driving memher. Thus, the composite fabric isassembled without interrupting the movement thereof and withoutliability of tearing or mutilating the backing sheet. The driving memberis at first retracted rapidly to an intermediate position below the lineof feed of additional tie bars, and then its retraction is continued ata slower rate to its lowermost position. During retraction of thedriving member, the power springs are compressed to render themoperative to drive the driving member in its next cycle.

As the driving member clears the feed slots, the tension of the springsliil actuates the pawl and ratchet mechanisms to advance the sheets I0and 89 and project the foremost tang strips into position to be severedtherefrom and driven by the hammers on the succeeding power stroke. Thetang strips are thus quickly fed, and during the subsequent stage ofslower retraction of the driving member, the punching mechanisms and theindenting mechanisms for forming tangs and lines of weakness anddivisionon the sheets 10 and are actuated. Thus, by retracting thedriving member at different rates of travel, sufficient time to permitof feeding, punching and cutting of the sheets 10 and 96 to formpartiallyconnected tie strips is provided during each cycle of movementof the driving member without requiring a slower rate of travel of thefabric.

Therefore, for travel of each unit of lengthof the fabric and each cycleof operation of the tie bar forming, feeding and driving mechanism, aminimum time is required to assemble each unit of length of thecomposite fabric, consequently permitting of faster traveling movementof the mesh and the backing and hence increasing the rate of output ofthe apparatus.

The composite fabric produced on my machine is employed in a well-knownmanner, namely plaster is applied against the wire mesh and the adjacentside of the backing sheet. By having the sheet held forward toward theplane of the mesh at points between the V-bars, a thinner layer ofplaster or cement will be sufllcient at those areas, since the structureas a whole will be strengthened by the thicker layer of plaster whichembeds and is reinforced by the V-bars 9, the plaster body thus beingribbed at intervals on its rear'side.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus for attaching a backing sheet to reinforcement mesh,comprising means for supporting the sheet and the mesh in position to beconnected together, means for moving a tanged tie strip against theexposed side of the sheet and forcing the tangs through the sheet, andmeans for clenching the tangs around certain of the mesh elements.

2. Apparatus for attaching a backing sheet to reinforcement mesh,comprising means for supporting the sheet and the mesh in position to beconnected together, means for continuously advancing the sheet and themesh, means for simultaneously moving a tanged tie strip against theexposed side of the sheet and forcing the tangs through the sheet, andmeans for clenching the tangs around certain of the mesh elements.

3. Apparatus for attaching a backing sheet to reinforcement mesh,comprising means for supporting the sheet and the mesh in position to beconnected together, means for advancing the sheet and the mesh, meansfor placing a tanged tie strip against the exposed side of the sheet, ina position transverse to the path of advancing movement, and for forcingthe tangs through the sheet, and means for clenching the tangs aroundcertain of the mesh elements.

4. Apparatus for'attaching a backing sheet to reinforcement mesh,comprising means for advancing the sheet and the mesh in parallelplanes, means for forming stapling elements from a continuoussheet, andmeans operable in timed relation to said advancing means and said forminmeans, for driving the stapling elements through the sheet and bendingthe prongs'thereof around certain of the mesh elements.

5. Apparatus for attaching a backing sheet to reinforcement mesh,comprising means for continuously advancing the sheet and the mesh inposition to be connected, and means operable during said advancingmovement for driving stapling elements through the sheet and bending theprongs thereof around certain of the mesh elements.

6. Apparatus for attaching a backing sheet to reinforcement mesh havingrib members on one side thereof, comprising means for advancing thesheet and the mesh means for deflecting the sheet toward the plane ofthe mesh, at points between the ribs, and means operable during saidadvancing movement, for applying connecting elements to hold said sheetand mesh in assembled relation at said points.

'7. Apparatus for attaching a backing sheet to reinforcement mesh havingrib members on one side thereof, comprising means for advancing thesheet and the mesh, means for deflecting the sheet toward the plane ofthe mesh, at points between the ribs, means for placing tie stripsagainst the exposed side of the sheet, at points between and inparallelism with the rib members, and means for connecting the strips tothe mesh at said points. i

8. Apparatus for attaching a backing sheet to reinforcement mesh,comprising means for continuously advancing the sheet and the mesh inposition to be connected, means operable during said advancing movementfor driving stapling elements and bending the prongs thereof aroundcertain of the mesh elements, and a yieldable device positioned to becompressed by said driving 55 means and to effect slight reactivemovement of said means at the completion of a driving stroke.

9. Apparatus for attaching a backing sheet to reinforcement mesh,comprising meansfor continuously advancing the sheet and the mesh inposition to be connected, means operable during said advancing movementfor driving stapling elements and bendingthe prongs thereof aroundcertain of the meshelements, andan adjustable striking surface limitingthe distance which the said driving means will be moved toward itsprong-clenching position.

10. Apparatus for attaching a backing sheet member to reinforcement meshmember, comprising means for advancing the members in position to beconnected together, a member for driving stapling elements intoconnected relationship with said members, a power spring for moving thedriving member in a direction to drive the stapling elements, a memberoperating in recurring cycles and in timed relation to the advancingmeans, to retract the driving member against the spring and then releaseit, and means operable during said retractive movement to form staplingelements and to feed them into position to be driven.

11. Apparatus for attaching a backing sheet member to a reinforcementmesh member, comprising means for advancing the members in position tobe connected together, a member for driving staplingelements 'intoconnected relationship with said members, a power spring for moving thedriving member in a direction to drive the stapling elements, a memberoperable in recurring cycles to retract the driving member against thespring and then release it, the retractive movement being first at arapid rate and then at a relatively slower rate, means operable to feedstapling elements into position to be driven, at the completion of saidrapid stage of movement, and means operable during the slower stage ofmovement, to form additional stapling elements.

' 12. The combination with means for advancing members to be connectedtogether by stapling, of

a member for driving. stapling elements into connected relationship withsaid members, a power spring for moving the driving member in adirection to drive the stapling elements, a member operable in recurringcycles to retract the driving member against the spring and then releaseit, means operable during one stage of said retractive movement, to feedstapling elements into position to be driven, and means operable duringanother stage of the retractive movement, to form additional staplingelements.

ARCHWORTH MARTIN.

